Know Your Real Friends Using the BCG Matrix

I really wonder whether Boston Consulting Group had given a thought to the fact that the Matrix they had come up to help companies to take strategic decisions could even help human beings to decide who their real friends are. In our lives we meet so many people some become very close and remain with us forever whereas some leaves us midway. In order to decide or know who our real friends are let’s see whether BCG Matrix can help us or not. A little bit of edit has been made in the matrix in order to serve the purpose we are trying to propose here like the original matrix deals with Relative Market Share and Market Growth but here it has been modified to Profitability.

Dogs (Low Relative Market Share, Low Profit)
In your department or class there are some with whom you don’t talk regularly and their presence never really bother you. Whenever you are in a group with them for an assignment you are not that interested to work. They are the ones who are very excited to hear the juicy stories or rumors are running on your back. They just enjoy it without really figuring out whether it is true or not. They even act as a catalyst at times.

Conclusion: Simply ignore them and remove them from your list of acquaintance.   

Cows (High Relative Market Share, Low Profit)
These are the people whom you should observe the most. They are the most dangerous lot. You spent most of the time with them thinking they are your close ones, but Hey! Beware….
You might not be knowing behind your back they are the ones who initiate the stories about you. You thinking them to be your friend share with them all your weakness, disappointments and frustrations, they console you but at the back they are the ones busy building stories around it.

Conclusion: Observe them closely if you find them to be chameleon, try to stay away from them and don’t share any secrets with them.  

Question Mark (Low Relative Market Share, High Profit)
People belonging to this group are the toughest to judge going by the present scenario. They are the ones who are not that close to you but you are very comfortable with them. I really don’t want to bring in the regional bias here but still it is bound to come in some way. From my own life I have seen I have had my most friends who are from my own native, I thought them to be my closest ones. I did make some friends who were from other places but it took me some time to realize that they were actually the ones for whom the proverb “A friend in need is a friend in deed” holds true.

Conclusion: Don’t get swayed too much by their nice behavior for you know people change easily and handle them with care as for the time being they really are your friends.  

Stars (High Relative Market Share, High Profit)
As the name of the group suggests people belonging to this group are like the valuable assets that you possess. They are the best friends. They may be 1000 kilometers away from you but still would make it a point to devote their time and effort for you. They are the ones who are going to fight for you and against those spreading rumors behind your back. They are the least member group but still the value that they generate is much more than collectively put together the 3 other groups.

Conclusion: Treat them just like the most valuable asset that you possess. Go out of the way not to lose them.